University of Vermont Athletic Hall of Fame
Phillip Hovencamp 1984 - Track and Field
Phillip Hovencamp, one of the top weightmen ever to throw for the Catamounts, was also one of the best throwers in New England. He rewrote the UVM record book in the shot put and 35-pound weight and currently still holds the school records in both, eventually earning him induction into the UVM Athletic Hall of Fame in 1998.
Hovencamp earned team Most Valuable Performer honors in 1982-83 and 1983-84 and was a team captain each year. The hard work and training from his first two seasons paid off his final two years. Hovencamp burst on the scene as a junior, setting new school records in the shot put indoors and outdoors while improving steadily in two other outdoor events: the discus and the hammer throw. He won all three events at the 1983 Vermont State Championships and was named the Outstanding Field Performer of the meet.
A native of Cambridge, Vt., Hovencamp had other top performances as a junior, winning the shot put at both the indoor and outdoor EIAAs, second in the 35-lb weight throw at the indoor EIAAs, and third in the shot put at the New England outdoor meet. In individual and dual meets during the indoor season, he won the shot put in all but one meet and in the 35-lb weight, and he was first four times in six meets. He capped a stellar season by qualifying for the prestigious IC4A meet in the shot, finishing ninth.
As a senior, he set UVM records that have held up for 14 years. Indoors, he set new school standards in the shot put and the 35-lb weight. He was a double winner at the EIAA meet winning the shot and the 35-lb weight and came in second in the shot at the New England's. Outdoors, he again earned Outstanding Field Performer honors at the state meet setting a meet-record in the shot put. Hovencamp was second at the New England Championships and came up big in his final meet as a collegian, setting the school shot put record to finish fifth at the IC4A meet.
Upon graduation, Hovencamp was awarded an internship at Dartmouth under nationally renowned throwing coach Carl Wallin. He qualified for the National Track & Field Championship meet from 1985-1988 and was nationally ranked in shot put every year during that span. In 1986, Hovencamp made the prestigious USA Indoor National Track & Field Team. The squad won the "USA vs. Great Britain" dual meet held in the United Kingdom as he earned second place individually. Hovencamp also qualified for the 1987 Olympic Sports Festival Track & Field Team and finished the meet with a fifth place national finish.
Since graduation, Hovencamp has served as an assistant coach (weights) at Brown, Syracuse, and Dartmouth. As a track & field coach, he produced many state champions and All-Americans, including three-time Olympian and World Champion Anthony Washington (discus).
Hovencamp still holds the Vermont Open Division (16-lb) shot put record at 61'3" and his personal best throw is 63'6".
